The news seems to be filled with doom and gloom about the recession and budget cutbacks. So it was heartening to read a story this week about a museum that saw closing down as a growth opportunity.
The National Museum of Patriotism in Atlanta, USA relocated to the heart of the visitor district last year but notwithstanding a substantial increase in visitor numbers, it was still struggling to break even. So a decision was made to ‘to answer the call of the new economy to find a new way of doing business’. The solution – to become the National Foundation of Patriotism and become a virtual museum online.
The founder decided this would give a broader reach, deeper impact and higher visibility than could ever be achieved in one building in one city. No mention of what is happening to its collections though. These include the largest collection of sweetheart jewellery spanning the Civil War to the present day.
I wonder whether a virtual only solution would be acceptable in the UK ? I suspect not for many and our museums are very different to this US example. What it does demonstrate is the need for creative, positive and lateral thinking to tackle new challenges. Most of all, you need to be really clear about what you are trying to achieve and not assume the obvious route is the only one.